1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to oil filters of the type used for filtering the lubricating oil of internal combustion engines, or the like, and more particularly to a magnetic insert for an oil filter or lubricating oil containing compartment through which the oil is circulated for attracting magnetizable particles contained by the oil.
It is well known that metallic particles, separated from the bearings or other moving parts of an engine, are for the most part suspended by the oil and moved through the lubricating conductors of the engine to the parts to be lubricated wherein the metallic particles further increase the wear or damage of closely mating parts. Oil filters through which the lubricating oil is circulated remove the larger metallic particles, however, for the most part minute metallic particles pass through the filtering element and remain in suspension. It is, therefore, desirable that a magnetic element be placed in the filter or oil compartment through which the lubricating oil is circulated by an oil pump to remove magnetizable particles and increase the life of the engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior patents generally disclose a number of magnetic devices for attracting magnetizable particles suspended in lubricating oil in which the magnetic device is secured to the outer wall surface of an oil filter casing to magnetize the metallic case and attract the particles to its inner wall surface. These devices generally have the disadvantage of insufficient magnetic contact with the lubricating oil and are generally not easily removed from a used oil filter and transferred to a replacement filter.
Other patents disclose a permanent type magnet or magnets of cylindrical form in which a plurality of magnets are suspended by a rod-like member with spaces between the several magnets filled by magnetic or nonmagnetic material.
The principal disadvantage of these magnetic inserts has been they were directed toward a particular filter application and thus are not capable of use for retrofitting a plurality of the several types oil filter units presently in general use.
The most pertinent prior patent is believed to be U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,651 which discloses a magnetic cartridge for insertion into a hydraulic reservoir or oil containing pipe and comprises an open end nonmagnetic sleeve surrounding a plurality of longitudinally spaced permanent magnets with the spaces between the magnets filled by nonmagnetic material and the ends of the tubes sealed by nonmagnetic plugs. One end of the cartridge is attached to a rod for suspending the cartridge in oil.
The principal distinction of this invention over the above named patent is that the permanent magnets employed in the present invention are axially mounted on an elongated rod-like member having one threaded end portion easily connected with the oil filter supporting head of an engine to coaxially support the magnets within the oil filter. Other advantages of this filtering device, over the above patent, is the several magnets are maintained in spaced relation with respect to each other by magnetic flux repulsion of like poles wherein the spacing between magnets are not closed thus enhancing the magnetic force of the respective pole of each magnet so that magnetizable particles are attracted to the respective end poles of each magnet and the space between adjacent magnets wherein high velocity oil flow through the surrounding filter cannot dislodge the metallic particles from the magnets.